Champion won't quit in the fight of his life

The younger Mike Powell, the one who slapped a submission hold on life, would have laughed at such a puny number. Maybe dropped an expletive or two to punctuate his disgust.

That Powell could rip off 40, 50, 60 in a row. In the eighth grade he set a school record for pull-ups. Displays of strength legitimized a machismo honed and hardened on a wrestling mat.

But that Mike Powell is no more, as is the one who once contemplated suicide. He’s a former undefeated high school state wrestling champion, an All-American at Indiana University, an Illinois high-school wrestling coach of the year, who can do 10 pull-ups.

“If my doctor were here he wouldn’t be happy. But I love it. I’m not going to stop doing what I love.’’

Mike Powell walked around the perimeter of wrestling mats inside the Booker High gym. As he did his college teammate, Eric Pitts, son of Tornado wrestling coach Bill Pitts, displayed technique to a collection of advanced grapplers from around the state.

A couple of times Powell sat down. That afternoon he would take over the instruction from Pitts. And pay dearly.

“I’ll be exhausted,’’ the 37-year-old said. “I need a lot of rest. I probably won’t recover until (later in the week).’’

The camp featured Eric Pitts, a successful California high school wrestling coach; his father; and Alexander Pons, a two-time Cuban national champion.

But it’s clear by the title — “Relentless Pursuit Advanced Wrestlers Camp’’ — that Powell’s name sat above the others.

In relentless pursuit. The ending to all his emails.

“This Mike Powell is the real deal,’’ said Ron Jones, the wrestling coach at Sarasota Military Academy. “I’m impressed.’’

“Mike doesn’t have a lot of time,’’ said Bill Pitts. “He’s like a rock star in the Midwest. Everybody knows him and everybody wants him to teach their kids.’’

He’s still the head coach at his Chicago-area alma mater, Oak Park and River Forest High, where he went 42-0 as a senior in 1994 and won the 171-pound state title. Four years ago Powell’s team captured the state championship, right around the time his world crumbled.

In April 2009 doctors diagnosed him with polymyositis, a disease in which the immune system attacks the body rather than protect it. Strength gets sapped. There is no cure.

Powell lost 40 pounds the first month. At his lowest he consumed 28 pills a day, walked with a cane, and one night on his couch, considered taking his own life.

But not once did Mike Powell miss wrestling practice. His story was told extensively in Sports Illustrated and later on ESPN’s E:60.

“The emasculation that I’ve felt and the helplessness I’ve suffered,’’ he said, “I really don’t wish on anybody. You come to grips with it. Real strength is inner strength.’’

And since that dark April day four years ago, his condition has improved. Powell’s down to 10 pills a day, plus a couple of drugs for AIDs and transplant patients.

Life expectancy? “(The doctors) don’t really tell me anything.’’

But Powell feels well enough that he’s talked with his wife, a Chicago attorney, about starting a family. His wrestling team returns 12 next season, so he’s happy about that as well.

“I kind of had a unique energy,’’ he said. “And it’s gone. I really had great spirit and I want that back.’’